Watering device for animals

ABSTRACT

A method provides a continuous flow within an animal watering device. The method includes receiving water in a lower bowl of the watering device, the lower bowl including a front container and a rear container. Lifting the water from the lower bowl to an upper bowl through operation of a motorized water screw. Filling the upper bowl to a predetermined height. Returning the water in the upper bowl on a ramp disposed between the upper bowl and the front container of the lower bowl.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/366,870 entitled, “Watering Device for Animals with Multiple Bowls,”which was filed on Jul. 22, 2010 and is incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to animal watering devices, andmore particularly to a continuous watering device for pets whereby wateris circulated using a water screw device to provide continuous runningwater without the need of a submersible pump.

BACKGROUND

Many animal watering devices include mechanisms to create continuousflowing water within the watering device to attract animals to the waterand to help reduce the amount of bacteria or other impurities that mayotherwise grow in stagnant water. Generally, to create a continuous flowwithin an animal watering device, many such devices utilize asubmersible pump device that pumps the water to an elevated platform orcontainer. As the elevated container is filled with water, a ramp orwaterfall-type structure returns the water back to the pump forre-circulation to the elevated platform. In this manner, continuouslyflowing water is created within the watering device.

The submersible pumps used in such watering devices require that thepump be at least partially submerged within the water of the wateringdevice for the pumping action to occur. However, despite being watersealed, submersible pumps used to create flowing water within a wateringdevice also pose an electrocution hazard, as electrical components ofthe pump are surrounded by the water that is ultimately consumed by theanimal. This is especially relevant for submersible pumps whose sealsmay have degraded over time. Further, submersible pumps are also indanger of water damage, as the seals may wear over time. Thus, wateringdevices that utilize submersible pumps to circulate water within thedevice potentially create a dangerous electrocution hazard for anyanimal that drinks from such a watering device, as well as reduce thedurability of the continuous flow feature of the device.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of acontinuous watering device for animals. The watering device may comprisea lower bowl for holding water wherein at least a portion of the lowerbowl is open to allow an animal to drink the water and an upper bowlconfigured to hold water above the lower bowl. The watering device mayalso comprise a ramp disposed between the upper bowl and the lower bowland configured to support a stream of water as the water moves from theupper bowl to the lower bowl and a water screw assembly for transportingwater from the lower bowl to the upper bowl.

Another embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of amethod for providing a continuous flow within an animal watering device.The method may comprise the operations of pouring water into a lowerbowl of the watering device, the lower bowl comprising a front containerand a rear container and activating a water screw assembly to lift thewater from the lower bowl and deposit the water into an upper bowl, withthe water screw assembly may comprising a motor operably attached to awater screw. The method may also include the operations filling theupper bowl to a predetermined height and returning the water in theupper bowl on a ramp disposed between the upper bowl and the frontcontainer of the lower bowl.

Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of asystem for a continuously flowing watering device with minimalelectrocution hazard. The system may comprise a lower bowl configured tohold water, an upper bowl also configured to hold water to apredetermined height and a water screw assembly disposed between thelower bowl and the upper bowl. The water screw assembly may comprise amotor operably attached to a water screw such that activation of themotor causes the water screw to rotate and transport water from thelower bowl to the upper bowl, wherein the motor is disposed above thepredetermined height to minimize the electrocution hazard of thewatering device. The system may also include a ramp disposed between theupper bowl and the lower bowl and configured to support a stream ofwater as the water moves from the upper bowl to the lower bowl.

A further embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of awatering device for animals having a lower bowl for holding water and acase operably attached above the lower bowl. The case includes an upperbowl fluidly connected to the lower bowl, a first ramp fluidly connectedto the upper bowl and a first basin located at a first end of the firstramp. A second ramp is fluidly connected to the first basin and thesecond ramp is located beneath the first basin. A second basin islocated at a first end of the second ramp, and the second basin islocated partially beneath the first basin and the second basin isfluidly connected to the first basin and the lower bowl. The wateringdevice also includes a water screw for transporting water from the lowerbowl to the upper bowl. The water screw is operably attached to a motorand activation of the motor causes rotation of the water screw withinthe water screw assembly and transports water from the lower bowl to theupper bowl.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of one embodiment of a watering deviceutilizing a water screw to create a continuous flow.

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 showing theinterior of the watering device utilizing a water screw to create acontinuous flow.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view showing the interior of thewatering device and the interior of a water screw device to create acontinuous flow of water.

FIG. 4 depicts a magnified view of the cross-sectional view of theembodiment shown in FIG. 3 illustrating the interior of the wateringdevice and the interior of the water screw device to create a continuousflow of water.

FIG. 5 depicts a magnified view of the cross-sectional view of theembodiment shown in FIG. 4 illustrating the upper bowl and the interiorof the water screw device of the watering device.

FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the interior view of one embodimentof the watering device illustrating the upper bowl and ramp that carriesthe water from the upper bowl to the lower bowl of the device.

FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of one embodiment of the water screwdevice illustrating the adjustable opening at the top opening of thewater screw.

FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of one embodiment of the water screwdevice illustrating a filter assembly to filter the water of thewatering device.

FIG. 9 depicts a perspective view of the interior view of one embodimentof the water screw device illustrating a ultra-violet light emittingdiode attached to the water screw assembly to filter the water of thewatering device.

FIG. 10 depicts a perspective view of another embodiment of a wateringdevice utilizing a water screw to create a continuous flow.

FIG. 11 depicts a top plan view of the embodiment of the watering deviceillustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 depicts a perspective view of the upper case removed from thewatering device illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 depicts the embodiment of the watering device illustrated inFIG. 10 with the lid removed.

FIG. 14 depicts a cross-section of the watering device viewed along line14-14 in FIG. 10, illustrating an interior view of the water screwassembly.

FIG. 15 illustrates a front elevation view of the embodiment of thewatering device illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 16 illustrates a right side elevation view of the embodiment of thewatering device illustrated in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of the present disclosure may take the form of a wateringdevice for animals with continuously flowing water to attract theattention of the animal. To create flowing water, a water screw devicemay be utilized within the watering device to move water from a lowerbowl of the device to an upper bowl. The water screw may be configuredsuch that the electrical components of the water screw remain separatedfrom the water of the watering dish to remove the possibility ofelectrocution of the water. Rather, only the mechanical components ofthe water screw device may contact the water of the watering devicewhile the electrical motor of the water screw remains safely out of thewater. A ramp may also be provided such that the water is allowed toflow from the upper bowl to the lower bowl, creating a continuous waterflow within the watering device.

In another embodiment, the watering device may include a case attachedto a lower bowl, the case may include multiple water pooling locationsor basins and ramps to transport the water to each location. The poolinglocations provide multiple drinking areas for animals using the wateringdevice. The water screw pulls water from the lower bowl into the upperbowl. The upper bowl may include multiple apertures allowing the waterto flow in a variety of directions. The water then may flow from onepooling area or basin into another, until the water reaches the lowerportion of the case. The lower portion of the case includes an aperture,that when the case is placed on top of the lower bowl, provides accessto the lower bowl. In this embodiment, the animal may drink from avariety of locations, which also allows for multiple animals to drinkfrom the watering device concurrently while additionally providing anaesthetic element to the watering device.

In this manner, a continuous flow is achieved within the watering devicewithout the need for a submersible water pump that lies in the water ofthe dish, potentially creating an electrocution hazard to any animalusing the watering device. Additionally, as the motor for the screw isremoved from the water, it substantially prevents heat from beingtransmitted to the water stored in the device. This is beneficial asmany animals, such as cats and dogs, prefer cold water. One or morefilters may also be included within the watering device to prevent ordegrade any germs or bacteria growing within the water of the wateringdevice so as to further protect the health of any animal using thewatering device.

Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, continuouswatering device 100 may generally comprise a lower bowl 102, an upperbowl 104, a water screw assembly 114 and a ramp 112. Taken together,lower bowl 102, water screw assembly 114, upper bowl 104 and ramp 112may form an automatic watering device for animals that continually pumpsand circulates water within the watering device. As described in moredetail below, the water screw assembly 114 may move water from the lowerbowl 102 of the device 100 to the upper bowl 104 to a predeterminedheight where the water flows onto the ramp 112 and returns to the lowerbowl 102 for re-circulation. This continual movement of the waterbetween the upper bowl 104 and the lower bowl 102 may attract pets tothe watering device 100, as well as reduce the growth of bacteria andfungus within the water contained therein. In addition, a water storagereservoir 106 may also be included in the watering device 100 to alloweasy refill of the watering device and reduce the number of times thewatering device may need refilled.

More particularly, the embodiment of the lower bowl 102 shown in FIG. 1may comprise a front container 108 and a rear container 116. The frontcontainer 108 may be generally circular in shape and include sidewallsto hold water, similar to a traditional pet watering bowl or dish. Oneor more openings 110 or slots may be located in the bottom of the frontcontainer 108 to allow water to flow freely from the front container tothe rear container 116 of the lower bowl 102. The front container mayalso include a ramp 112 that carries water from an upper bowl 104 to thefront container 108 of the lower bowl 102 during operation of thewatering device 100. More particularly, the lower portion of ramp 112may terminate in the front portion of the front container 108 such thatwater flowing on the ramp is deposited into the front container of thelower bowl 102. Ramp 112 may slope upward from the front portion of thefront container 108 generally toward the rear of the watering device100, following the circular contour of the front container 108 such thatthe top portion of the ramp 112 is in communication with the exit spoutof the upper bowl 104. The ramp 112 and operation of the watering device100 are described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.The remaining portions of the front container 108 may be enclosed toprotect the components of the watering device 100 housed therein.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the rear container 116 of the lower bowl 102may be generally circular in shape and form the base of the wateringdevice 100. The rear container 116 may also include sidewalls to holdand direct the water of the device 100 near the water screw assembly 114such that the water may be lifted from the lower bowl 102 to the upperbowl 104 for circulation of the water. As mentioned above, one or moreopenings 110 may be located in the bottom of the front container 108such that water may flow freely from the front container and into therear container 116. In this manner, water that flows from the upper bowl104 and into the front container 108 utilizing the ramp 112 duringoperation may then pass through the openings 110 into the rear container116 of the lower bowl 102. In addition, one or more filters or strainersmay be placed over opening 110 so as to prevent debris, such as pet hairor dirt, from entering the rear container 116 as the water flows betweenthe containers. In one embodiment, the rear container 116 may be atleast partially enclosed to prevent an animal from drinking from therear container or interacting with the water screw assembly 114.

The outside surface of the lower bowl 102 may include a pair of carryinghandles 118. While only one handle 118 can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, asecond handle may be located on the opposite in mirror image of thefirst handle. In the embodiment shown, handle 118 is a circular cut-outof the bottom of the lower bowl 102 to provide a surface for an owner ofthe watering device 100 to lift the device.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the watering device 100 showingthe interior of the watering device and the interior of the water screwdevice 114 utilized to lift water from the lower bowl 102 to the upperbowl 104 during operation of the device. As mentioned above, the waterscrew assembly 114 may operate to lift water contained in the lower bowl102 and deposit the water in the upper bowl 104. As the water screwassembly 114 operates to lift water from the lower bowl 102 to the upperbowl 104, the upper bowl 104 fills to a predetermined height, at whichpoint the water flows out of the upper bowl 104 and onto the ramp 112and back into the lower bowl 102 for re-circulation. In this manner, thewatering device may utilize the water screw assembly 114 and upper andlower bowls to create a continuously flowing watering device 100.

As shown in FIG. 3, water screw assembly 114 is generally tubular inshape and is generally vertically positioned within the watering device100 between the lower bowl 102 and the upper bowl 104. In oneembodiment, the water screw assembly 114 is positioned at a slight angletoward the back of the watering device 100 to aid the lifting of waterfrom the lower bowl 102 to the upper bowl 104 and to provide the devicewith a lower profile. The water screw assembly 114 generally comprises amotor 130, a drive shaft 132, a water screw 134, a hollow body 142, alower opening 138 and an upper opening 140. These components generallyoperate together to carry water entering at the bottom of the assembly114 up through the hollow body 142 and exiting out at the top of theassembly. In addition, the water screw assembly 114 may be constructedsuch that the motor 130 and other electrical components of the waterscrew assembly do not come into contact the water of the watering device100, thereby reducing the possibility of electrocution to an animalusing the watering device.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the main structure of the water screwassembly 114 may comprise a hollow body 142 that is generallycylindrical in shape and enclosed on both ends of the cylinder. Thehollow body 142 may comprise the overall shape of the water screwassembly such that the water screw assembly is generally self-containedand sealed. However, in one embodiment, the water screw assembly 114 mayalso include a lower opening 138 and an upper opening 140 that allow forwater to enter and exit the water screw assembly, respectively duringoperation of the water screw. In addition, the lower end of the hollowbody 142 may be angled such that the water screw assembly 114 may bepositioned flat against the bottom surface of the bottom bowl 102 of thewatering device 100 when installed.

Further, the water screw assembly 114 may include a motor 130 attachednear the upper portion of the hollow body 142. In one embodiment, themotor 130 may be encased within the water screw assembly 114 while inother embodiments, the motor may be attached to the top of the hollowbody 142 of the assembly. The motor 130 may be a typical low power motorpowered by either household A.C. electricity or batteries. In theembodiment where the motor is powered by household electricity, powermay be supplied to the motor 130 via a power cord (not shown). Duringoperation of the device, the motor 130 may rotate a drive shaft 132extending from the motor at various speeds in a clockwise manner. In oneembodiment, the drive shaft 132 may be a silicon hexagonal key that isoperatively connected to a screw 134 located within the hollow body 142such that the rotation of the drive shaft by the motor causes the waterscrew to similarly rotate within the hollow body of the water screwassembly 114.

The water screw 134 of the water screw assembly 114 may comprise ahelical ridge 146, referred to herein as a thread, wrapped around acenter cylinder. In one embodiment, the water screw 134 may include foursuch threads, each with a 50 degree pitch that each wrap around thecenter cylinder. However, any number of threads 146 may be included inthe water screw. In general, the water screw 134 is similar in width tothe interior width of the hollow body 142 such that there is little orno space between the threads and the interior surface of the hollowbody. However, it is not required that the contact surface between thethreads 146 and the interior surface of the hollow body 142 bewater-tight. Rather, some space may be present to allow the water screw134 to rotate within the hollow body 142 without creating damagingfriction between the threads 146 and the interior surface. Therefore,during operation of the water screw assembly 114, some water may leakbetween the threads 146 and the interior wall of the hollow body 142.

The water screw assembly 114 may also include a screw guide post 148that projects from the bottom of the assembly within the hollow body 142and operably connects to the center cylinder of the water screw 134 atthe bottom of the screw. The screw guide post 148 may be cylindrical inshape such that the screw 134 is allowed to rotate around the guide postfreely while also being supported in place within the hollow body 142during operation of the water screw 114.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, the water screw assembly114 may be positioned at an angle within the watering device 100 betweenthe lower bowl 102 and the upper bowl 104. More particularly, the waterscrew assembly 114 may rest on and extend from the bottom surface of thebottom bowl 102 at an angle toward the rear of the watering device.Further, the water screw assembly 114 may extend through a guide hole152 located in the bottom surface of the upper bowl 104 and held inplace through the use of a flange 150 and one or more fasteners 154 thatengage the bottom surface of the upper bowl. More particularly, theflange 150 may extend from the outer surface of the water screw assembly114 to hold the water screw assembly in place through the guide hole 152of the upper bowl 104 and resting on the bottom of the bottom bowl 102.The flange 150 may include one or more fasteners 154 that attach to thebottom surface of the upper bowl 104 through one or more correspondingholes within the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the fasteners 154may comprise a plastic rivet that is tapered on one end to engage acorresponding hole and hold the flange against the bottom surface of theupper bowl 104. However, the fastener 154 may be any type of fastenerknown or hereby developed. In one embodiment, a gasket may also beplaced between the flange 150 and the bottom surface of the upper bowl104 to create a water-tight seal around the water screw assembly 114such that water deposited in the upper bowl 104 by the water screw 114during operation does not leak through the guide hole 152.

Returning to FIG. 1, the watering device 100 may also include a waterstorage reservoir 106 to provide a constant supply of water to the lowerbowl 102 in order to reduce the frequency in which the owner must addwater to the watering device. To refill the watering device 100, a usermay fill the water storage reservoir 106 by removing the lid and pouringwater into the reservoir. As shown in FIG. 2, The reservoir may includea spout 152 at the bottom of the reservoir such that water may flow fromthe reservoir into the lower bowl 102 as needed by the watering device100. For example, the spout 152 may include a valve assembly to regulatewater flowing from the reservoir 106 into the lower bowl 102 to maintaina minimum water level in the lower bowl 102 so that water may be liftedby the water screw 114 into the upper bowl 104.

Also shown in FIG. 1, a removable lid 120 may be placed over the upperbowl 104 and water screw assembly 114 to protect the components of thewatering device 100, as well provide an aesthetic quality to thewatering device.

Returning to FIGS. 3 through 5, the watering device operates as follows.Initially, water may be placed in the lower bowl 102, such as by fillingthe water storage reservoir 106 or by placing water in the lower bowl102 directly through the front container 108. As the lower bowl 102fills, water may enter the hollow body 142 of the water screw assembly114 through the lower opening 138. Upon activation of the motor 130 ofthe water screw assembly 114, the water screw 134 within the hollow body142 may begin to rotate, thereby spinning the threads 146 of the waterscrew, causing the water entering at the bottom of the water screwassembly 114 to be scooped up by the threads 146 as the screw isrotated. The water may be then carried through the hollow body 142 ofthe water screw assembly 114 by the threads 134 until the water isallowed to flow out of the water screw assembly through the upperopening 140 and into the upper bowl 104. In this manner, water iscontinuously carried by the water screw 114 from the lower bowl 102 anddeposited in the upper bowl 104.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper bowl 104 may fill with water to a leveldefined by a curved lip 160 located at one end of the upper bowl. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper bowl 104 includes a curved lip160 that engages the upper portion of the ramp 112 described above. Theramp 12 may be designed to support water as it flows from the upper bowl104 to the lower bowl 102. The surface of ramp 112 may have a smoothfinish to reduce splashing and turbulent flow of water as it slides downthe surface. Lip 160, located at one end of the upper bowl 160 andengaging the top portion of ramp 112, forms a semi-circular channel witha predetermined radius to direct water toward ramp. Lip 160 may comprisea rounded edge to promote smooth water flow as the water streamtransitions from upper bowl 104 onto ramp 112. In one embodiment, ramp112 has a parabolic shape to minimize splashing as the water flows onramp. Ramp 112 can also, however, be linear, circular, or any othershape that is capable of supporting the water as it flows from upperbowl 104 to the forward container 108 of the lower bowl 102.

Once the upper bowl 104 has filled to a predetermined level defined bythe curved lip 160, the water may pass over the lip 160 and down theramp 112, flowing to the lower bowl 102 to be re-circulated back throughthe water screw 114. In this manner, a continuous flow of water isachieved as water flows up through the water screw 114, to the upperbowl 104 and down the ramp 112 back to the lower bowl 102.

As should be appreciated, the electrical components of the water screwassembly 114 described in FIGS. 1-5 do not contact the water of thewatering device 100. Rather, as shown in FIG. 5, the motor 130 and otherelectrical components remains above the water-level of the upper bowl104 such that no electrical components are submerged within the water.By utilizing the mechanical nature of the water screw 134, a continuousflow of water may be achieved while the electrical components of thewatering device 100 remain isolated from the water. In this manner, thepossibility of the electrical components of the device energizing thewater through a short or degraded water seal and causing a electrocutionhazard to an animal using the watering device is reduced. Furthermore,because the electrical components are isolated from the water, the heatproduced from their operation is not transmitted to the water. Thishelps to prevent the water from warming, which may be beneficial as manyanimals, for instance cats and dogs, prefer to drink cold water overwarm water.

The water screw assembly 114 may include several other features. Forexample, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a flow control device 162may be configured around the upper opening 140 of the water screwassembly 114 such that a user may rotate the flow control device toadjust the flow of the water flowing out of the water screw assembly.The flow control device 162 may comprise a ring that fits around theouter surface of the water screw assembly 114. A plurality ofrectangular cutouts 164 with varying heights may be located around thering. The flow control device 162 may be slid over the water screwassembly 114 such that one of the rectangular cutouts 164 aligns withthe upper opening 140 to allow water to flow through both the upperopening and the rectangular cutout as it exits the water screw assembly.

To control the flow of water out of the assembly, a user may rotate theflow control device 162 around the water screw assembly 114 such that aseparate cutout 164 with a different height may be aligned with theupper opening 140. For example, a cutout 164 with a lower height maylimit the amount of water that may flow through the upper opening 140compared to a cutout with a higher height. Thus, by rotating the flowcontrol device 162 and aligning one of the plurality of rectangularcutouts 164 with the upper opening 140, the flow of water from the upperopening may be adjusted. Additionally, one or more nubs (not shown) maybe located on the inner surface of the flow control device 162. Thesenubs may interact with one or more grooves located along the outersurface of the water screw assembly 114 to ensure proper alignment ofthe rectangular cutouts 164 with the upper opening 140. Thus, to alignone of the cutouts 164 over the upper opening 140, a user may rotate theflow control device 162 until the nub engages the one or more groovesand a desired flow height is positioned over the upper opening.

Further, a filter may also be included in the watering device 100 to aidin removing dust, dirt, hair or any other debris that may collect in thewater during operation of the watering device. For example, as shown inFIG. 8, one such filter 170 may take the form of a removable carbonbased filter ring that slips over one end of the water screw assembly114, at least partially covering the lower opening of the water screwassembly. The filter 170 may include a rail 174 that extends along theinner surface of the filter ring and engages a rail guide 172 locatedalong the outer surface of the water screw assembly 114. The rail 174and rail guide 172 may interact to ensure proper alignment of the filter170 ring over the water screw assembly 114 by the user when sliding thefilter ring into place.

The filtering of the water by the ring filter 170 can best be seen inFIG. 4. In the embodiment shown, the filer ring 170 at least partiallycovers the lower opening 138 of the water screw assembly 114 such thatwater flowing into the water screw assembly 114 first flows through thefilter 170. In this manner, the filter may remove impurities from thewater as the water flows through the filter into the water screwassembly 114 for transportation into the upper bowl 104 by the waterscrew 134.

As shown in FIG. 9, the watering device 100 may also include aultra-violet germicidal remover 144 attached to the water screw assembly114. As should be appreciated, ultra-violet (UV) light applied to watercan be effective in reducing the number of viruses and bacteria thatexist in the water. Thus, by applying UV radiation to the water of thewatering device 100, the water may become safer and cleaner forconsumption by an animal using the device.

To provide the UV radiation to the water, the UV light 144 shown in FIG.9 may include a UV light-emitting diode (LED) light source that emits aUV light. This UV LED may be attached or otherwise coupled to the waterscrew assembly 114 such that the LED is placed above the water in theupper bowl 104 and shines into the water. In this position, the LED mayemit UV light into the water of the upper bowl 104, providing the waterwith an additional filtering and cleaning mechanism. The UV filter 144may be powered through a battery or may connect to the same powercircuit powering the motor 130 of the water screw assembly 114.

FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the watering device 100. Asshown in FIG. 10, the watering device 200 includes an upper housing orcase 210 operably attached to a lower bowl 202. The case 210 providesmultiple drinking basins for animals using the watering device 200 aswell as multiple fluid-flow paths. In certain embodiments, each of themultiple drinking surfaces may have multiple fluid-flow paths leadingthereto. The watering device 200 also includes a water storage reservoir206, which may be generally the same as the water storage reservoir 106illustrated in FIG. 1, although its dimensions may be altered toaccommodate the dimensional differences between the two embodiments ofthe watering device 100, 200 illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 10,respectively. Similarly, the watering device 200 also may includes thewater screw assembly 114 and UV Light 119 (see FIGS. 13 and 14) althoughthe dimensions for each may additionally be altered to accommodate thedifferences in shape and/or in the watering device 200. In alternativeembodiments, other apparatuses for conveying water from the reservoir206 to the fluid-flow paths may be used instead of the water screwassembly. For example, a motorized pump may be used instead. Likewise,the UV light 119 may be omitted from certain embodiments.

The water screw assembly 114 and the UV light 119 function in the samemanner, i.e. the water screw assembly 114 pulls water from the lowerbowl 202 into an upper bowl 232 and the UV light 119 sterilizes thewater. However, it should be noted that the watering device 200 may beused with a variety of pumps and filtering devices, and the water screwassembly 114 and UV light 119 are just one embodiment. Furthermore, thewatering device 200 may also include a removable lid 220 for coveringthe upper bowl 232 and the water screw assembly 114.

Referring now to FIGS. 10-13, the case 210 may be removable from thelower bowl 202. For instance, in some embodiments the case 210 maysnap-fit onto the lower bowl 202. In these embodiments, the case 210 mayinclude a lip that attaches over a similarly shaped lip on the lowerbowl 202. However, the case 210 and the lower bowl 202 may attach toeach other in a variety of ways and in some instances the lower bowl 202and the case 210 may be a unitary piece. For example, the case and bowlmay screw together, be mated through a tongue-and-groove arrangement,have one or more tabs that are received in mating depressions, and thelike.

The case 210 forms the main body of the watering device 200 and may beformed of a unitary construction or may be constructed from multipleelements. In some embodiments, the case 210 includes a water storagereceiving area 230. This area 230 receives the water storage reservoir206 and secures it to the watering device 200. To top area of the case210 forms the upper bowl 232. The upper bowl 232 is similar to the upperbowl 104 illustrated in FIG. 4 and includes a floor 242 and securingapertures 227, 228. The water screw assembly 114 may be inserted intothe main securing aperture 228 and attached to the upper bowl 232, asdescribed with respect to FIG. 4. When the water screw assembly 114 issecured within the floor 242, the upper bowl 232 can substantiallysupport and contain water.

As described above with respect to FIGS. 3-5, water is pumped from thelower bowl 202 to the upper bowl 232 via the water screw assembly 114.Once pumped into the upper bowl 232 the water exits onto the frontsurface of the case 210. The case 210 provides the drinking surfaces foranimals using the watering device 200. The drinking surfaces includepooling areas 211, 212, 213, or basins. Each pooling area 211, 212, 213may be fluidly connected to every other pooling area 211-213, allowing avariety of fluid flow paths from the upper bowl 232 back to the lowerbowl 202. The pooling areas 211-213 may be a variety of different depthsor may all have the same depth. In some embodiments each of the poolingareas 211-213 may have a different depth, such that the water level ineach pooling area 211-213 may be different. In other embodiments, thefirst and second pooling areas 211, 212 may be designed to have the samewater depth whereas the third pooling area 213 may have a deeper waterdepth.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 12, the third pooling area 213 is alsoconnected to the lower bowl 202 via an access aperture 214 formed in thecase 200. The area of the case 210 surrounding the access aperture 214may be slightly lower than the other portions of the case 210, such thatwater traveling along the case 210 may travel towards the accessaperture 214. The access aperture 214 fluidly connects the case 210 tothe lower bowl 202, and allows the water flowing down the case 210 to bere-circulated via the water screw assembly 114. The access aperture 214also provides an increased water depth in the third pooling area 213, aswater stored in the lower bowl 202 may be accessed by the animal in thethird pooling area 213.

A lower wall 234 separates the first and second pooling areas 211, 212from the third pooling area 213. The lower wall 234 helps to direct theflow of water between the pooling areas 211-213, such that water travelsalong the length of the lower wall 234 and may only enter the thirdpooling area 213 via a cutout 224 or at the end of the lower wall 234,e.g., the second ramp 216. There are also two ramps 208, 216 fluidlyconnecting the first and second pooling areas 211, 212 to the thirdpooling area 213. The ramps 208, 216 may be generally similar to theramp 112 in operation, but may be different in dimensions and/or shape.Additionally, in the current embodiment a wall cutout 224 is locatedabove the first ramp 208, allowing water from the first pooling area 211to travel over the lower wall 234, down the first ramp 208 and into thethird pooling area 213. The wall cutout 224 reduces the height in thelower wall 234 and acts to funnel water flowing from the first poolingarea 211 into the third pooling area 213.

In the illustrated embodiment, the lower wall 234 extends from the leftside of the case 210 to the right side of the case 210, and may vary inheight along its length. For example, the lower wall 234 may be lower inheight at the point between the first pooling area 211 and the thirdpooling area 213 than at the point between the second pooling area 212and the third pooling area 213. Furthermore, the lower wall 234 maycurve to provide generally circular shapes to the pooling areas 211-213,it should be noted that the shape of the lower wall 234 and the curvesmay be altered to create different size and shaped pooling areas211-213. The lower wall 234 terminates at the second ramp 216, the lowerwall 234 forms a first side of the second ramp 216. The second ramp 216fluidly connects the second pooling area 212 with the third pooling area213. It should be appreciated that alternative embodiments may havewalls, ramps, and other features of varying heights, lengths, widths,curvatures and the like. For example, one embodiment may use onlystraight walls and/or ramps.

The case 210 also includes an upper wall 250. The upper wall 250separates the upper bowl 232 from the first and second pooling areas211, 212 and additionally supports the upper body of the case 200. Theupper wall 250 curves around the back end of the first and secondpooling areas 211, 212 forming the back barrier between each the firstand second pooling areas 211, 212. Similar to the lower wall 234, theupper wall 250 also has cutouts 225, 226. The cutouts 225, 225 fluidlyconnect the upper bowl 232 to the second and first pooling areas 212,211, respectively. The front cutout 226 fluidly connects the upper bowl232 with the front ramp 204. The front ramp 204 provides a path forwater to flow from the reservoir into the first pooling area 211. Thelower face cutout 225 fluidly connects the upper bowl 232 with thesecond pooling area 212 via the face ramp 236.

The upper bowl 232 is similar to the upper bowl 104, illustrated in FIG.2, but instead of one exit aperture, may include multiple exitapertures. The upper bowl 232 is fluidly connected to the lower bowl 202via the water screw assembly 114, and is filled with water from thelower bowl 202. When the upper bowl 232 fills with water, the waterexits the upper bowl 232 via the front cutout 226 and/or the top facecutout 227. Generally, water flows over the two cutouts 226, 227 andonto the front ramp 204 and the face ramp 236. The front ramp 204 leadsdirectly into the first pooling area 211 and the face ramp 236 flowsover the lower face cutout 225 into the second pooling area. As withramps 208, 216. The front and face ramps 204, 236 may be shapedsimilarly to the ramp 116, but includes varying dimensions and/orshapes.

As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, when the removable lid 220 is installedover the upper bowl 232, the cutouts 226, 227 form apertures as the lid220 sits on the top of the upper surface of the upper wall 250 but doesnot cover the cutouts 226, 227. The removable lid 220 covers the upperbowl 232 and the water screw assembly 114. This may provide an appealingaesthetic appearance, as well as substantially prevent animals fromaccessing the upper bowl 232. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, when theremovable lid 220 is removed, the water screw assembly 114 and upperbowl 232 are exposed. Thus, the removable lid may prevent animals fromaccessing or interfering with the operation of the water screw assembly114.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 14, the water storage reservoir 206 isattached to the case 202 and received in the water storage receivingarea 230. The water storage reservoir 206 is used to store water andhovers slightly above the bottom floor of the lower bowl 202.Additionally, at the lower end of the water storage reservoir 230 a cap240 may be attached. The cap 240 may include or incorporate a filter tofilter the water as it flows between the water reservoir 206 and thelower bowl 202. Alternately or in addition, the cap may include a valvefor regulating water flow between the two.

Continuing to refer to FIGS. 10 and 14, in operation the lower bowl 202is filled with water. Water may flow from the water reservoir 206 to thelower bowl 202 to fill it, or a user may directly fill the lower bowl202 (through removing the case 210 or through the access aperture 214).Once the lower bowl 202 is filled and when the water screw assembly 114is activated, the water screw assembly 114 pulls water from the lowerbowl 202 to the upper bowl 232. This is discussed in more detail withregard to FIG. 4. The water screw 134 pulls water from the lower bowl202 into the upper bowl 232, and once in the upper bowl 232 the UV light119 (if included) shines on the water helping to kill bacteria and thelike. Once the water level in the upper bowl 232 reaches the height ofthe front cutout 226 and the face cutout 227, it flows down either orboth of the front ramp 204 or the face ramp 236, respectively. It shouldbe noted that the water may flow in either direction and through eitherthe face cutout 227 or the front cutout 226 as the cutouts 226, 227 maybe located at the same height from the floor 242 of the upper bowl 232.

The water exiting the upper bowl 232 via the front cutout 226 flows downthe front ramp 206. This ramp 206 leads to the first pooling area 211and the water may pool in this area 211. Once the water level in thefirst pooling area 211 reaches the height of the first cutout 224, thewater travels over the first cutout 224 and down the first ramp 208 intothe third pooling area 213. However, in some instances the water maytravel along the surface of the first pooling area 211 to reach thesecond pooling area 212, depending on the amount of water deposited inthe first pooling area 211.

The water exiting the upper bowl 232 via the face cutout 227 flows downthe face ramp 236, over the lower face cutout 225 and into the secondpooling area 212. Once in the second pooling area 212 the water maytravel down the second ramp 216 into the third pooling area 213 ordirectly into the first pooling area 211. Also, the second pooling area212 may be slightly deeper than the area surrounding it and cause waterto pool until the water reaches a predetermined level, before flowinginto the other pooling areas 211, 213. Once water has entered the thirdpooling area 213, from either the first ramp 208 or the second ramp 216,the water may flow into the lower bowl 202 via the access aperture 214.

It should noted that at any of the pooling areas 211-213 and the accessaperture 214 an animal may drink water, as the water will be gatheredinto a partially enclosed area. As the water is partially enclosed andthe bottom surfaces of the pooling areas 211-213 may be slightly lowerthan the surrounding areas, the water creates pools. This is because thedepressed areas cause the water to pool until the level reaches apredetermined level (depending on the depth of the pooling area211-213). The pools provide a drinking area for animals, and as thewater continues to circle from between the pooling areas 211-213 and theupper bowl 232, the water is continuously circulated. Additionally, thewater is continuously filtered via the filter ring 170 on the waterscrew assembly 114 and disinfected via the UV light 119. This allows thewater to be cleaner and helps prevent the growth of bacteria and thelike in the water. Furthermore, the continuous flow down the ramps 206,208, 216, 236 creates a fountain-like aesthetic appearance and/or sounddepending on the flow rate from the upper bowl 232 (via the water screwassembly 114).

Generally, the components of embodiments of the watering device 100, 200described above may be constructed using a lightweight water resistantplastic material and may be most preferably formed by injection molding,except where explicitly stated otherwise. The water storage reservoirs116, 206 may be preferably blow molded and fabricated from a translucentor clear plastic material to allow the water level to be observed whilemounted on the watering device.

The foregoing merely illustrates the principles of the invention.Various modifications and alterations to the described embodiments willbe apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be ableto devise numerous systems, arrangements and methods which, although notexplicitly shown or described herein, embody the principles of theinvention and are thus within the spirit and scope of the presentinvention. From the above description and drawings, it will beunderstood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the particularembodiments shown and described are for purposes of illustration onlyand are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.References to details of particular embodiments are not intended tolimit the scope of the invention.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A method for providing a continuous flow within an animal watering device, the method comprising: receiving water in a lower bowl of the watering device, the lower bowl comprising a front container and a rear container; lifting the water from the lower bowl to an upper bowl through operation of a motorized water screw; filling the upper bowl to a predetermined height; and returning the water in the upper bowl on a ramp disposed between the upper bowl and the front container of the lower bowl.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein an electrical component of the motorized water screw is disposed above the predetermined height.
 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising filtering the water in the lower bowl using a ring filter configured around the water screw assembly.
 17. The method of claim 14 further comprising directing the water entering the front container from the ramp into the back container through one or more openings located in the bottom surface of the front container.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein the receiving operation comprises obtaining the water from a water storage reservoir through a spout disposed above the lower bowl. 19-21. (canceled)
 22. A watering device for animals comprising: a lower bowl for holding water; a case operably attached above the lower bowl, wherein the case comprises: an upper bowl fluidly connected to the lower bowl and configured to hold water at a height above the lower bowl; a first ramp fluidly connected to the upper bowl; a first basin located at a first end of the first ramp, and partially beneath the upper bowl; a second ramp fluidly connected to the first basin, wherein the second ramp is located partially beneath the first basin; a second basin located at a first end of the second ramp and partially beneath the first basin, the second basin is fluidly connected to the first basin and the lower bowl; and a water screw assembly for transporting water from the lower bowl to the upper bowl, the water screw assembly comprising a water screw operably attached to a motor, wherein activation of the motor of the water screw assembly causes rotation of the water screw within the water screw assembly to transport water from the lower bowl to the upper bowl.
 23. The watering device of claim 22, further comprising a water reservoir operably attached to the case, wherein the water reservoir is fluidly connected to the lower bowl.
 24. The watering device of claim 22, wherein the case further comprises: a third ramp fluidly connected to the upper bowl; and a third basin located at a first end of the third ramp, wherein the third basin is fluidly connected to the first and second basins.
 25. The watering device of claim 24, wherein the case further comprises a wall disposed between the second basin and the first basin and the third basin.
 26. The watering device of claim 24, wherein the second basin includes an access aperture on a bottom surface, wherein the access aperture fluidly connects the second basin to the lower bowl. 